


The July Effect

by zury (azurezury)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Doctor!Erwin, Gen, M/M, hospital!AU, nurse!Levi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2014-07-28
Packaged: 2018-02-08 09:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1935021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azurezury/pseuds/zury
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The July Effect is a myth whispered down the hallways of medical schools everywhere. As July approaches, hospitals are flooded with new medical interns and nursing graduates. For many, it's simply an urban legend.</p><p>For nurse Levi of Trost Memorial Hospital, it's the one month he dreads above all else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It Sure is Quiet!

**Author's Note:**

> au based off my own emergency room experiences! please note triggers for bodily fluids/functions/gore :3

Levi hated July.

It wasn't the heat, the never ending days, or the increased mass of "citizens" that made him despise the month.

No, it was the influx of new medical students and fresh batch of nurses that drove him up the walls. Fresh out of school, pockets laden with books, and brimming with over confidence, it made Levi want to take the whole month of July off just to get away. However, finances didn't quite allow him that distinct pleasure. So he pulled on his scrubs, straightened his badge, and prayed to whatever god was out there that he could make it through the day.

\---------

The first incident happened shortly after 9 a.m. 

The Emergency Room was pleasant, a handful of patients scattered around. Levi observed his nurses over the lip of his coffee mug, watching as Petra quizzed a freckled fellow on the medications that their patient took. The new nurse stammered, flipping through a book as he tried to explain the action mechanism of an inhaler. He stumbled over the technical terms and Levi rolled his eyes, wishing Petra would tell him to shut the fuck up and talk in laymen's terms. The boy would learn quick enough. And if not, then off to the floor with him. 

"Ah, Levi, there you are." Levi looked up at the smooth voice, lips twitching as Dr. Erwin Smith strolled up to him, two shadows trailing behind him. "I want to introduce you to these fine young fellows who will be working with me today." Levi didn't get up from his seat and Erwin took that as his cue urge his charges forward. One was a short blond, that if Levi hadn't known Erwin as long as he did, looked like a miniature Erwin. 

Straight down to those bushy brows. 

The one standing beside him was taller with a sharp undercut and obviously dyed hair. Levi saw the smug spark in those eyes and he silently grit his teeth. Great. All he needed in  _his_ ER was another smart ass. The short blond immediately stuck his hand out, fingers trembling lightly. "Mr. Ackerman Sir! A pleasure to meet you! Dr. Smith has told me a lot about you! I'm very excited to be working with you today!" The blond blabbered on as Levi simply stared at the hand offered. 

"Geez Armin, you're such a kiss ass." The taller one rolled his eyes. "Besides, he's just a nurse." 

Suddenly the guy found Levi standing up and leaning over the counter, his grey eyes boring into him. "Listen up," Levi fingered the ID badge,  _Jean Kirschtein_ , "you little snot nosed shit. If you think you're going to come into my Emergency Room like you own the damn place, you better back the hell up and learn your place. This is  _my_ Emergency Room and I'm being generous enough to let you come work. So one toe out of line, just one, and I'll kick your ass so hard that you'll need reconstructive surgery." Jean's face paled at the quietly uttered threat. Eyes darted to Dr. Smith, who was suddenly pretending to be very interested in introducing himself to the new nurse (Marco, Levi got a glance of the name flashing on his badge). Levi sat back, gazing at both of them, pleased that they seemed about to shit their pants. 

"Glad we could clear that up. Now go sit yourself where you won't get under my feet." 

Armin and Jean nodded. As they shuffled over to where Dr. Erwin sat, Armin glanced up at the tracking board, noting that in the twenty bed hospital they only had about five patients. 

"Wow, it sure is quiet around here!" 

Levi's eyes widened as he reached for his cup. 

Five seconds later, the ambulance phone went off, blaring the Mission Impossible theme song. 

"Fucking newbies." Levi huffed, content to sit and watch as Bertl, the one tall enough to reach the phone without any trouble, took report from the ambulance. His normally dark skin paled and he started sweating nervously. Never a good sign. 

"Uh, Levi, sir, um-"

"Spit it out Hoover." 

"There's a full cardiac arrest coming in five minutes. Fifty two year old male. Found in a hot tub." 

"Fuck. Me." Levi grunted, standing up as Erwin quickly explained to the two interns about what they would be doing.

"Hoover, get Respiratory down here immediately." Levi's eyes jumped over to Reiner, a five year nurse who looked like he belonged in a gym rather than putting bedpans under little old ladies. "Braun, you'll do compressions." He pointed at Petra and Marco, whose eyes were wide. "Petra, you start the lines. Hoover, you'll push drugs. Bodt, you'll do the writing. Remember, one voice everyone." Levi calmly moved towards the trauma room, grabbing the crash cart as he did, steering it with ease even though the thing was almost taller than him. 

"Hanji's on their way!" Bertl called out, undoing the latches as Levi readied the glidoscope for Erwin, who took his position at the head of the bed. 

"How long has the victim been down? Did he fall in?" Armin was writing furiously on a pad of paper as Bertl tried to supply the details though they were splotchy. Jean looked like a cross between excitement and panic. 

"Ambulance is here!" Petra called out as everyone took their stations in the trauma room, the slapping of gloves on skin as everyone geared up. Moments later, the ambulance bay opened up and the stretcher rolled in. Sasha, one of the paramedics, was pumping hard on the victim's chest, dark hair flying as she rushed to keep up with her partner Connie's speed. The female stopped compressions long enough to pull the guy onto the room stretcher, where Reiner took charge. Petra got to work establishing a line as Erwin tilted the chin of the male up, already grabbing his the glidoscope and inserting it into the male's mouth. 

"But don't you need to-" Armin started but a quick look from Levi shut him up. 

"Twenty gauge to the right AC!" Petra called out. 

"Bertl, give the etomidate." Levi snapped out. By then Respiratory appeared, excitement on Hanji's face. 

"You guys started the party without me!" They took a place by Erwin. Jean merely gave the therapist a wide eyed look. 

"Jean, hand me the tube please." Erwin stated with a calmness that soothed Levi's nerves. The male fumbled with the tube, dropping it on the ground. 

"Fucking-" Levi slapped a hand to his face mentally. Armin snatched up the tube and gave it to Erwin, who inserted it with ease, blowing up the cuff inside. Hanji took over, attaching the bag to the end of the tube to give breathes. Levi saw Reiner starting to tire out. He pointed at Jean. "You. Start compressions." 

"What!?" Jean stuttered as Reiner grabbed him and hoisted him up on the stool. All Jean could hear was Erwin giving orders ("one of epi please" and "let's get his rhythm analyzed"). He stared at the blotchy pale chest before Levi was at his side, slamming his palms down over the sternum. 

"Push you dumbass." 

Jean gritted his teeth and bore down with both hands, eyes widening as he felt the sickening crunch of the ribs beneath him. He immediately turned and vomited, his breakfast coming up all over Levi. Everyone simply stopped and stared, mouths gaping. Levi simply stared with that deadpan look. Finally he shoved Jean out of the way and took his place on the stool, having to lean over to deliver quick, efficient compressions. He could hear the AED powering up. 

"Analzying patient. Do not touch the patient." 

Everyone stepped back (except for Armin, who had to be tugged back by Marco). "Shock advised." The machine made a noise as it powered up. "Stand clear to deliver shock." 

"All clear!" Erwin yelled out. "Give the shock." Bertl pressed the shock button and the only ones that gasped as the body flopped on the table were obvious. "Resume CPR." 

\-----------

After thirty more minutes, two shocks, many compressions and drugs later, Erwin called it. 

"Time of death," Bertl glanced at his watch. "Ten oh four."

The team stood there, staring at the lifeless body. Sasha and Connie had remained to finish filling out the paperwork. They learned that the man had been down at least fifteen minutes prior to arrival, CPR given by a lifeguard who found him. Bertl and Reiner slowly moved out to start getting the death packet ready while Petra took Marco aside to explain to him how to prepare the body and keeping everything intact until the coroner released the body. Hanji took their leave, a slight frown on their face but a small smile offered to Levi as they left. Armin simply stared at the body, as if he couldn't quite process the entire event. 

Levi looked over at him. "People die kid. You better get used to it."

"Levi," Erwin murmured softly as he stood up from checking on Jean, who still looked a little green around the gills. "You know you can't save them all." 

Levi chewed on the inside of his cheek. No matter how he tried, he took it as a failure when they couldn't save a life. "I'm going to call the family." 


	2. Scalpel Please

Life in the ER went on as normal and by lunch time, the place was full of patients. Levi flopped by Erwin, relaxing as the doctor reached out to rub along Levi's neck. "So, how are your students?" Levi watched from behind the nurse's station as Armin was cornered by the little lady in room ten who was two seconds away from pinching his cheeks. Jean was occupied picking out a scalpel for room three's abscess.

"Good enough. Armin is sharp as a whip but I'm still trying to get him to be a little more comfortable being around patients. As for Jean, he's got the smarts and confidence. But maybe..." Erwin struggled for the words.

"Too much confidence?" Levi supplied. He smirked. "I remember someone else who was like that." Levi leaned up to brush his lips along Erwin's ears. "Cocky little bastard." 

A soft cough broke them apart and Jean stood there, looking beet red. "Um, are you ready to go into Room Three, Doctor Smith?"

"Actually," Erwin grinned and Levi felt his stomach sinking. "I think Levi will help you out on this one. I'm going to sit right here and finish up charts while you go in there and drain that abscess. Afterwards, you'll come back and tell me how you did it and what you plan to do with the patient's follow up care." 

"Cruel." Levi sulked as he stood up, marching in to room three with Jean right behind. The patient was a young man, his face beet red from the compromising position he lay in. Well, not as much compromising as it was awkward: him on his belly, blanket resting on the top half of his body and a sheet on the other, leaving bare his thighs. A wicked looking boil festered on one thigh, the skin tinged yellow from the pus trapped inside. Levi went about setting up a laceration tray, making sure to keep everything sterile as Jean made small talk with the patient. Levi snapped on his sterile gloves, barely containing his smirk as Jean struggled with his. Finally taking pity on the poor guy, he carefully rearranged the gloves to where the fingers fit in their proper places instead of jammed into one spot. Jean blushed, muttering a soft thanks before he took the scalpel, approaching the patient. 

"Ah, Jean," Levi spoke up, his voice calm. "Here's the lidocaine I pulled for you." Levi nodded to the syringe and needle sitting on the bedside table. Jean hastily put down the scalpel, hoping his patient didn't realize that he was about to make an incision without any sort of numbing. After numbing (and with little help from Levi, Jean thought with triumph), Jean stood at the man's side and took in a breath. Levi popped up beside him. 

"Now don't just stab it in there," He muttered. Jean glared. 

"I'm not an idiot."  

Levi didn't respond. Jean carefully slid the edge of the blade along the tight skin and the skin tore easily, pus oozing out. "This is disgusting." Jean muttered. Levi only chuckled.

Lightweight.

\---------

Armin stood to the side as Dr. Smith walked into room twelve, the picture of ease. "Hello Mister Jaeger. What brings you into the Emergency Room today?"

Eren Jaeger was one of what the nurses liked to call a "frequent flyer". Often coming into the Emergency Room several times a month. Though unlike most frequent fliers who were there for drugs, Eren Jaeger was simply a young guy with a case of bad luck. 

"Um. Yeah." Eren looked down at his propped up ankle, the skin bruised and swelling despite the ice and the wide laceration along his shin. "Let's just say it involved a cat, a skateboard, and a keep off the grass sign." He gave a bright grin. "Good news is I think I'm perfecting my technique!" 

Erwin gave Eren a slight smile. "You'll have to show it for me some time. Let's get that foot of yours shot and wrapped and Armin here will do the stitching, if you don't mind." 

"You know I don't mind being the guinea pig. Especially for such a cutie." The blush on Armin's face was adorable. 

"M-Mister Jaeger, that's really not appropriate." Armin stammered, wanting nothing to hide behind his clipboard. 

A moment later, Marco came in with Petra and Eren let out an exaggerated gasp. "Holy crap, when did all these hotties start working?" Marco blushed, his freckles popping out against the red. Erwin shook his head. 

"Don't scare them off Eren. Everyone else is used to your humor." Erwin's pleasant voice still struck as a warning and Eren instantly nodded. 

"Sorry, sorry. My bad. I promise I'm not like this all the time. You guys just looked a little uptight." Eren was just so used to all the others. This place was his second home in some way, and these people were his family. 

After he was all wrapped up and stitched up, Marco tried to hand him a pair of crutches. Eren simply shook his head. "Mikasa said if I brought home one more pair of crutches she was going to beat me with them. Thanks though!" He easily got into the wheelchair, chatting up the patient care tech as he rolled along. 

"I think he'll be back in a couple of weeks." Petra stated as she cleaned up. 

"I give him four days." Erwin replied.

\--------

Levi collapsed onto the sofa, happily accepting the beer Erwin produced for him. Despite the overwhelming urge to kick his feet up on the coffee table he resisted, not wanting to worry about the mess. He had come home a couple of hours after Erwin, the lucky bastard only working ten hours instead of his twelve, not including having to stay over later in an attempt to get an IV started on a three year old. 

That repeatedly kicked him and almost bit him the little piece of -

"Have I told you how sexy you look in those scrubs?" Erwin distracted him as the lumbering giant pulled him into his lap. They were both changed out of their scrubs, not daring go more than a foot into the house without showering off (though Levi would prefer to be autoclaved after the grime). 

"Whatever. Mister 'I-only-like-deep-v-necks' that show off those collar bones and distract all the other staff." Levi nuzzled said collarbone, eyes drooping lightly. 

"I appreciate you helping out my students today." 

"I guess I better get used to them, huh?" 

"Yeah. Just for a little bit." Erwin propped his chin up on Levi's head, flipping through the television. They came across a hospital drama, both snickering as a doctor and nurse made out in a supply closet. "Why don't we ever do that?" Erwin poked Levi. Levi glared. 

"Do you really want to be making out and then get hit in the head with needles. Or worse, a stack of bedpans or urinals?" 

"Point taken." 

They sat in comfortable silence for a long while. "It was pretty funny when Jean threw up on you." Erwin finally said as they settled on a reality cooking show. Levi shuddered. 

"Disgusting. It was worth it when the pus from that ass zit squirted on his arm. I thought he was going to saw it off with the scalpel." Erwin snorted, almost choking on his drink. 

"Poor Armin. Evidently he's never learned a proper sewing technique. The laceration looked worse after than before." 

"It's freaking Jaeger. He'll be healed up and back with a new one in a week or two."

"Point taken. Again." 

As they finished up the cooking show, Levi threw his arms around Erwin. "Carry me to bed?" 

"You're getting too heavy for that." Erwin grunted teasingly as he lifted Levi up, carrying him bridal style to the bedroom. 

"Whatever. You love it." Levi bounced as he was dropped on the bed. Erwin curled up beside him. They both managed to utter "I love you" before they fell asleep, worn by the day's events and needing their rest for a new tomorrow. 


	3. Show No Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little bit of a time skip. maybe a week or two?

As Levi strolled out to the nurses' station to collect huddle notes for the morning, he couldn't help but look at the tracking board and suppress a small groan at all the yellow that littered what should be his immaculate board. The night charge nurse let out a chuckle, the sound weak and strained. "We need some beds to cure this jaundice, eh?"  

"Don't tell me we have no beds in this entire hospital?" Levi dropped his head onto the counter. 

"Not for right now. I'm sure once the doctors start rounding and discharging people, it'll be a different story. But until then, watch for Bed Eight. They've been a hold since yesterday afternoon and the family is getting real agitated over not having somewhere for dad to go." Levi rolled his eyes. Yeah, he hated it just as much as the family did when an admitted patient couldn't go to the floor. Having lain on the stretchers himself, he knew the beds were shit. The ER was loud, noisy, and generally unpleasant. But families soon learned that threatening to sue or go wouldn't make things happen any faster. They were completely at the mercy of the mysterious Bed Board and their all knowing powers of what floors had empty room and plenty of staff.

"Otherwise it wasn't a bad night. A couple of the frequent flyers came in, but nothing special." Levi nodded, faintly listening to what the nurse was saying as he perused down the patient information. After report, Levi straightened up his shoulders and collected his morning notebooks. 

"Just another day in paradise." The charge nurse grinned as Levi flipped them off. 

\----------

Not an hour after shift started, a young couple came up to Levi as he sat there, hopelessly (helplessly) refreshing the bed tracking board in hopes of getting a room. Grey eyes darted up and a "How can I help you?" exited his lips like a well rehearsed script. 

"We were just wondering when we'd be going to the floor? The nurse last night told us that we'd be going sometime this morning?" The female looked optimistic while the male seemed bleary eyed and irritable. Levi let out a sigh and tried to use his friendliest tone. 

"I'm sorry ma'am, but we're still waiting on beds to be assigned. Right now our hospital has been having a huge influx of admitted patients and unfortunately, we aren't big enough to handle the capacity without a little bit of delay. I'm hoping that this morning the doctors will round early and be discharging out some patients-"

"This is ridiculous." The man grunted, rubbing his five o'clock shadow. "We've been here for at least twenty hours."

"And I apologize for that sir. Your family member is one of," Levi did a quick count, "Of ten other patients waiting for a room." 

"Well he better damn well be getting a room first." 

"Sir, I cannot make that assignment. I would also appreciate it if you would not use such language in front of the other patients and staff." At this point Levi had slowly, casually stood up. The other male puffed out his chest, easily having a couple of feet on Levi.

"And I'd appreciate it if you could get your lazy ass up and actually get some damn work done around here! It's fucking ridiculous that when we come to a hospital we get treated like this!" Others were starting to notice, voices quieting as the scene continued. Levi, however, kept his cool. He could see the man looking at his badge for a name. 

"My name is Levi, and I am one of the charge nurses here sir. We are doing all we can to assist you and your family and make things comfortable. But I have no control over bed assignments and when they will be given. However, I will be more than happy to call our bed board and ask if there might be any openings soon. Otherwise, I will have to ask that you either go back to your room or exit the premises." Levi tilted his chin up, a small display despite his relaxed body stance. The man stared long and hard, as if waiting for Levi to flinch. Finally the man huffed and turned around with his wife, who cast an apologetic look, nodding at her husband's irate murmuring. Levi let out a breath and sat back down. 

"Bastard." 

\-----------

"So what brings you in to the Emergency room to-day..." Marco trailed off as he stood inside the patient room, a frown on his lips at the patient in the bed continued to chat on her cellphone, flipping through the channels with breakneck speed. He scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what to do. It was like he wasn't even in the room. Oh the patient knew he was there. She had made direct eye contact before going back to the television and her conversation. 

"Ah, ma'am..." Marco cleared his voice and the lady rolled her eyes, telling the person on the phone to hold on. Marco gave a bright smile. 

"I'm here because my stomach hurts and I've been vomiting." 

"Where at? And for how long? How many times have you vomited?"

"Right here." She pointed to midsection with an air that Marco should have known that. "And for a while."

"A while?" 

"Yeah."

"So how long is a while? A couple of days, weeks, months?" 

"A week." 

"How many times have you vomited today?"

"At least ten." 

Oh dear lord this was like pulling teeth, Marco thought with some despair. "All right. Are you allergic to anything?"

"Yeah. It's in my record though." 

"Um, okay, but I still need to know." 

At this point the woman put her cellphone back up to her ear, uttering a quick "I'll call you back" before hanging up. "Toradol. Morphine. Tylenol. Motrin. Zofran." Marco hurried to write down all the allergies, which seemed endless. 

"So what do these medications do to you?"

"It's in my file." 

Okay. Next question. 

"Do you have any medical problems?"

"Listen, Marco? Marco right? I've been here before. Everything should be in your file okay? Can you just let the doctor know that I'm really in a lot of pain."

"On a scale of one to ten, how bad-"

"Twenty." 

For the first time, Marco felt what Levi liked to call "his bullshit detector" go off. He had the sudden urge to say ' _ma'am you are in no shape, form, or fashion a twenty out of ten pain if you can sit here and hold a conversation on your phone.'_ But Marco just nodded politely, writing it down. "I'll make to let him know."

"Can't you get me anything for pain?" Her voice suddenly turned whiny and Marco wondered if this was the same woman as before. 

"Ah, I'm sorry but I legally I cannot give you anything for pain until the doctor comes and sees you."

"Well can you tell him to come right now? I'm really hurting!" She grabbed her stomach for added affect, her eyes watering. Bewildered, Marco nodded and hurried out of the room. Not more than five seconds later the call bell for the room rang. The unit clerk answered politely and ended the conversation by saying she would tell her nurse. "Bed nineteen wants something for pain." Marco simply stared. Petra patted him on the back. 

"Get used to it." 

\-----------------

By the time Marco actually got bed nineteen's medication, she had already rang the call bell half a dozen times and had actually sent a family member to the nurses station, stating "that she's hurting real bad and can you please come give her something". Marco, sweet Marco, wanted to kick something. He had had three other higher priority patients and it was like he couldn't get anything done. So with sweet relief he gave Nineteen her pain medications (dilaudid, because that was the only one that worked, and phenegran because zofran didn't do anything for her nausea, and benadryl because the dilaudid made her itch). Petra and the others called it the Usual Cocktail. 

So for a blessed forty minutes, Marco was able to accomplish his other tasks with minimal help from Petra. 

And then the call bell went off. 

Marco felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as he peered down the hallway to see where it was coming from. Bed Nineteen. He had just passed by and was happily surprised to see that she was sleep, burrowed under the multitude of blankets and her family member tapping away on their phone. He had thought about going in there, to check on the woman, but Petra had hastily grabbed him and warned him to let sleeping dogs lie. 

With a smile on his face and praying for patience and hoping that she only wanted another blanket, Marco poked his head in there. The woman popped her head out from under the covers, looking sleepy. "My pain is back." 

"Oh, well, it's barely been an hour since I gave you something." 

"Yeah. And it really didn't help. It dulled it down but now it's back. I need something else for pain. And for nausea too." 

"Okay, I'll have to ask the doctor." 

When Marco got back up to Petra, she tilted her head. "She wants more pain medicine." Marco murmured. "And nausea medicine too. I know they taught me in nursing school that pain is what the patient says it is, but I mean, she was dead asleep in there! She hasn't even thrown up since she's been here." He ran a few hands through his hair. Petra gave him a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry. She's up for discharge." Thanking his blessed stars, Marco grabbed her chart. He paused, looking at Petra. "Do you mind helping me?"

"Of course not." So together they made their way down there. When the woman saw that Marco held discharge paperwork and not pain medicine, she sat up further in bed. "You're ready for discharge ma'am." Petra said happily. 

"But I'm still hurting!" The woman cried, clutching her stomach as she bent over. Petra shook her head. "Now Ma'am, you've been here plenty of times to know the routine. The doctor couldn't find anything wrong. All your labs look great and you've been rehydrated. He's giving you a prescription for pain medications and nausea medications." The woman managed a dry heave. The family member glanced over at Petra and Marco. 

"Well isn't there something else you can give her before she goes home? I mean, obviously the other stuff isn't working." Petra side eyed the family.

"She's got phenegran suppository prescriptions and we can't risk giving her too much pain medication. It will drop her blood pressure and she might pass out. That would be just making the problem worse." Petra, undisturbed by the glares given, went to gather her stuff to remove the IV. The woman flung her arm out, making now show of how angry she was. 

"You all are doing me wrong here." She complained, rather loudly, so that the words echoed in the tiny room. "You know I'm still hurting yet you are gonna discharge me and not even give me anything to help with the pain!" Before Petra could get to the IV, the lady ripped it out, grabbing a few tissues and stuffing them onto the open wound. Petra just stood there patiently. "I'm never going to come back here again." 

"Okay ma'am. But I need you to sign right here for your discharge paperwork."

"I'm not signing shit. Let's get out of here." Gathering her belongings, her and her family member stormed out, threats still lingering down the hallway. Marco's eyes were wide, glancing at Petra. 

"She'll be back next week. I'd put money on it." 

\-------------

When it rains, it pours.

That was the thought Marco had as he watched the triage nurse bring down a mom and her toddler, the toddler red and the face and audibly wheezing. He probably had a couple of hours left to go of his shift, but all he wanted to was go home, cry, and have a big glass of wine. And maybe not in that order. While Petra and the Nurse Practitioner (a pretty woman named Hannah) went to go immediately see the baby, Hannah called out for Marco to go inform a doctor to come down and see the child. Evidently the child's oxygenation was only at ninety percent (much lower than the usual ninety-eight and above). Marco scambled over to the doctor's desk, seeing only Doctor Dawk standing there. Marco fidgeted. The doctor was already pissy about having to stay late. "Ah, Dr. Dawk, I know you're busy and all, but I really need you to come look at this kid. He's only satting ninety percent on room air."

Dawk threw up his hands. "Why are you telling me this? You need to go tell the other doctor this! I was supposed to leave forty five minutes ago! I shouldn't be here! I am not on the clock!" He ranted, practically chewing up Marco's ass and spitting it out on a silver platter with a nice garnish on top. "I don't understand why /I/ have to take care of this." He grabbed his stethoscope, making noise as he did so. "This is ridiculous. I should have been home an hour ago!" He ranted the entire way down there and Marco just stood there, speechless. He felt the rise of anger well up in him. Why was Dawk taking it out on him? He was just the messenger. Besides, it shouldn't matter that the doctor was supposed to leave forty five minutes ago. Perhaps, Marco thought, if the man spent less time yapping and more time doing charts then he wouldn't be late. Marco felt the prickle of tears sting his eyes, slightly startled when a hand rested on his shoulder. Levi looked at him. 

"Help me get something down from the supple closet?" 

Marco nodded, pushing down the feeling of anger and despair as he followed Levi into the silence of the supply closet. Levi made little work of looking at things on shelves. "That was a shitty thing he did." Marco glanced over. "I'm glad he's leaving in a couple of months. He gets all pissy when he has to stay late and it's his own damn fault. Besides, when do we ever stop doing our jobs?" Levi posed the question and Marco murmured, "Never."

"Exactly. I don't give a flying rat's ass if he was supposed to go home earlier. You're a fucking doctor and that kid can't fucking breathe. Get off your ass and go do your damn job." Marco nodded at Levi's words. "Listen kid, I'm not going to say that this will be the last time you'll be yelled out for stupid shit like that. Hell, when I was a new nurse, I got my ass chewed out on such a daily basis that no amount of combat gauze would stop the bleeding." Marco cracked a smile at Levi's smirk. "But you learn to get a thick skin and you learn to not back down from what you think is right. These doctors are not gods. They are not above us. They make mistakes just like we do. So you know what you got to do?" Levi turned to Marco and put his hands on his shoulders, though their height made it a bit awkward. 

"You show no fear. You look them straight in the eye and you tell them what's up. And if they don't like it, then you come tell me and I'll handle the problem. That's what I'm here for. We're not here to serve some of these pompous dick heads. We're here to take care of people, even when it means doing stuff that makes other people mad at us, that makes us go against the grain. You know what's right in your heart and always, always trust your gut." Levi poked him in the chest. "Got it?" 

Marco felt the tension drain from him and he gave a sharp nod. "Got it! Show no fear!" 

"Good boy. Now go take care of your kid. He sounds like a screamer." Levi slapped him on the back and watched as Marco left. 

\-------------

"I did a good thing today." 

Levi and Erwin sat at a cozy little diner, nestled up together in a booth and watching the rain fall down. "And what was that?" Erwin mused, taking a sip from his coke. 

"I told that new kid, Marco, to show no fear. Evidently Nile chewed him out over Nile's own short comings." 

"Let me guess, Nile fell behind on charting." Erwin chuckled. 

"Yep. And when Marco asked him to come look at a kid that was satting in the low nineties, Nile screamed at him because he himself was late going home." 

"Good for you Levi. And good for Marco." He playfully swatted Levi's hand that snatched up a fry. "I'm sure Marco appreciated it."

Levi nodded. "I think he'll toughen up soon enough. I was a little worried, since he seemed sort of soft. But I think in a few months he'll be as thick skinned as the rest of us." 

"It's the only way you'll survive in that jungle." Erwin murmured and Levi only grunted in approval. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: 
> 
> jaundice: a condition in newborns caused by buildup of bili in a baby's developing liver. often causes yellowing of the skin and eyes. 
> 
> dilaudid: narcotic pain medication  
> phenegran: nausea medication with sedating effects
> 
> combat gauze: specially treated gauze to help stop bleeding quickly as opposed to regular, none treated gauze


End file.
